What’s on Your Page? The Importance of Quality Content

Let’s talk more about content, or rather the importance of quality content on your page – whether it’s your website or your social media channels. Your content speaks volumes, and not just in what the words actually say, but how they represent your company, your brand.

I discuss the importance of great content for your social media in my post Why Your Content Matters. The same reasons you need quality content for your social media apply to your web content as well, and even more so to be honest. As a bonus, when you have quality content on your website, it gives you content for your social media. It gives you post ideas and a way to drive people back to your site in a non-sales manner. Which, in my opinion, helps create trust. Your audience doesn’t feel fooled or “sold to.” Winning!

6 Reasons to Have Quality Content  

1. Builds trust and loyalty
2. Shows you as an authority in your field/industry
3. Attracts your target audience
4. Answers your audiences’ questions
5. Enhances SEO
6. Improves the chances of shareability

You know when you see a great social post and you feel compelled to share it with your friends? The same holds true for your web content. When your audience finds your content useful, they’re more likely to share with others. This helps to create brand awareness in an organic, trustworthy manner. People are more likely to trust recommendations from friends and family. Need some numbers to put things in perspective? Of course you do! We all do right?

“92 percent of consumers trust user-generated content more than they trust traditional advertising” – Nielsen Consumer Trust Index

“Millennials ranked word-of-mouth as the #1 influencer in their purchasing decisions about clothes, packaged goods, big-ticket items (like travel and electronics), and financial products. Baby Boomers also ranked word-of-mouth as being most influential in their purchasing decisions about big-ticket items and financial products.” [Radius Global]

This means you must make sure your web content is relevant, up-to-date and meaningful. I tend to fall back on the idea of thinking about what attracts you to a particular website. Personal experiences should never be ignored. Bonus: you could take it a step further and ask friends and family the same questions.

Questions to ask yourself about websites:

• What do I like or not like?
• What makes the site stand out?
• What makes me likely to share something about that company or brand to my friends or family?
• Am I likely to share the site with others?

Keep those questions in mind when you look at your own web content. Step back and look at it from your target audience’s perspective rather than your own as an owner. You may think your site is fantastic, but what do others see? Do you provide valuable information and help them or is the content sparse and confusing? Can they navigate the site and find what they’re after or do they get stuck and bail out?

Quality Content

What makes up quality content? Glad you asked! I can give you regurgitated information you’ll find on many posts from marketers and agencies, blog posts or companies offering services, but I won’t. I’m going to give you my two cents instead.   

Quality content will …

• Engage the reader and be unique
• Flow well
• Answer questions your audience is asking
• Provide value or offer awareness
• Represent your brand tone, voice, personality
• Be relatable, speak to your audience
• Be visually appealing
• Be shareable
• Be free from grammatical errors
• Tell a story
• Be easy to digest and concise (Keep It Simple Silly K.I.S.S.)

“Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.” Jim Rohn

What’s on Your Site?

Now that you know the value and need of quality web content, it’s time to take a look at your own site. It’s not easy but try to look at your site from the lens of a potential customer or a customer who has questions. Check out Content and the Buyer’s Journey to understand what step someone may be at when they get to your site.

This one is important, and sometimes difficult for people: Don’t be tied to your content, content should be fluid and flexible. Your products may change, your business model may even change. Make sure your content reflects that. It’s important to do regular content and site audits to ensure that your content is up to date and relevant. Remove outdated posts, links, products or pages.

Ensure your content isn’t heavy – stay away from jargon and legalese speak. Talk to your audience, be personable and human. Make sure the content isn’t word heavy. Use white space and images to your advantage. Chunk content into bulleted lists when possible.

“The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.” Thomas Jefferson

So, what’s on your site? Go take a look with a fresh perspective!